How to decorate a 17m² studio apartment
Living in small quarters doesn't have to mean sacrificing style for drab storage solutions and "it's the only thing that will fit" furniture. It just takes a little creativity. To prove that small spaces can still be stylish, Gabby Deeming and Olivia Gregory took on the challenge of decorating a 17-square-metre studio apartment. Their ingenious ways of maximising space make quite an impact...
There is no need to paint an entire small apartment bright white; colour can add real drama to small spaces. Here Farrow & Ball's Charlotte's Locks is a bold backdrop to a monochrome scheme. A mirror cleverly mimics a doorway, creating the illusion of a grander space.
Get the lookPaint, 'Charlotte's Locks,' £29.50 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion at Farrow & Ball. 'Brera Largo' (noir), linen, £55 a metre, at Designers Guild. Lacquered-wood 'Mirror Table,' by Front, for Porro, 207 x 94 x 30.5cm, €1,391, at Aram.
Forgo a cumbersome wardrobe for separate storage crates (Ikea is a one-stop shop) and hanging rails, which can be hidden behind a decorative curtain.
Get the lookPlastic-and-steel storage system, 'Antonius', 180 x 124 x 55cm, £107.78 and polyester hanging shelves, 'Skubb', £7.99, both at Ikea. Forged iron curtain pole, 'Classic' (matt black), 2.5cm diameter, 19p per centimetre, at Jim Lawrence. Curtain, 'Sofienburg' (porcelain), linen, £75 a metre at Designers Guild. Laminated-paperboard storage box with steel corner protectors, 'Kassett', by Jon Karlsson, £9.39 for two, at Ikea. White and orange storage boxes, 'Inge', £13 each; and black DVD box, as before, all at The Holding Company.
The main studio room has been given an injection of personality with a graphic rug and toile wallpaper, as well as a high display shelf, which draws the eye and creates the illusion of height. In the daytime, bedlinen can be hidden away neatly in a trunk; at night, the chairs become a stylish double bed.
Get the lookWallpaper, 'The Boatman', £54 a 10-metre roll, at Zoffany. Curtain, 'Brera Fino' (cloud) linen, £55 a metre, at Designers Guild. Wool-and-nylon rug, 'Tess' (black and white), 276 x 220cm, £850 at Alternative Flooring. Sofa beds, 'Melissa', 85 x 102 x 90cm, £1,690 each, at The Bolton Sofa Bed Company; covered in 'Moro' (mango), cotton mix, £71.50 a metre, at Romo.
How to decorate a small living room
A cupboard kitchen takes the place of exposed kitchen units - a practical and good-looking alternative. A drop leaf dining table can be discreetly folded against a wall when not in use.
Get the lookPaint, '50N01', £27.50 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion, from Little Greene. Bespoke MDF cupboard, by Ben Lloyd-Ennals, 200 x 104 x 60cm, from £600; painted in 'Railings', £43.50 for 2.5 litres eggshell, at Farrow & Ball; with curtains in 'Brera Alta' (chalk), linen, £99 a metre, at Designers Guild.
Get the look'Compact Kitchen', including stainless-steel splashback with shelves and worktop with integral sink, drainer and two electric rings, £549 as pictured, at Space Savers. White, wood-and-MDF drop-leaf table, by Sara Szyber, 74 x 150 x 80cm unfolded, £679.30 at Design House Stockholm. Polypropylene and reinforced-fibreglass chair, 'Piana', by David Chipperfield, 90 x 46 x 52cm, around £150 at Alessi.
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